Bachmann announce Class 117 and Class 121 at Collectors Club event

[BR Blue]

Both versions look good. One apparent difference is the headcone panels in the front on view.

[Class 158 productions]

Wow, I must say the Bachmann model looks glorious, but so does the Dapol one. Hopefully the motor doesn’t fail like it has on a few of my Dapol ones. Given you can now get a Dapol one for as low as £79 and can easily repaint and renumber it for under a £100, I wonder if the Bachmann one will sell. Rather concerned about the gwr 150 121, the Dapol hattons edition didn’t sell, and this one is much more expensive. 

[StuTheUseless]

1 hour ago, BR Blue said:

Both versions look good. One apparent difference is the headcone panels in the front on view.

I hadn't noticed that! The flatter-topped Bachmann one looks better to me.

 

Just noticed as well, that the Bachmann has no representation of the separate roof panels, but the Dapol does.

 

I agree, they both look like good efforts. I certainly don't see the need to ditch my Dapol ones now the Bachmann one's here.

Edited June 24, 2020 by StuTheUseless

[Zunnan]

12 hours ago, StuTheUseless said:

I say, here's fun, some side-by-side pictures of the Dapol 121 and the Bachmann 121. OK, they're not at the same angle, the lighting's rubbish, they're dusty, etc. etc. I've brightened the side-on one so you can see the underframe.

 

The guard's door handrails are different on each model, they're two separate rails on the Dapol model. The handrails on the cab are very different, much more prominent on the Bachmann. The Bachmann also has that excellent speedo cable. The Dapol cab has a slightly more angular look which I think might capture the appearance a tiny bit better.

 

 

 

I hadn't really cottoned on to the guards handrails before, but the Dapol unit is configured more in keeping with the class 122, which does have the split handrail arrangement as seen on your model. In my defence, I've only had Dapols class 122s so it never stood out to me before now. That is of course not to say that doors and other furniture could have been swapped between units, so it is entirely possible that a class 121 ended up with something originally from a class 122 (or any other unit with the same tumblehome really).

 

Incidentally the class 116 also has the split handrail arrangement about the guard doors while the 117 has the one piece handrails in keeping with the 121.

 

What your side by sides also show is just how much more finessed the Bachmann underframe detail is, and how undernourished the Dapol roof ventilators are. The main fault for me with the Bachmann unit is the total lack of roof ribs, they weren't very prominent on the real thing but you could certainly notice them; especially when they peeled down to bare metal and started rusting. The Dapol roof ribs are a shade too heavily done for my liking, but at least they are present. If fixing the roof on either unit was on the cards by a modeller, I think some shading with an airbrush to give a representation of the panels on the Bachmann roof is the easier fix of the two. Dapols roof could do with new larger ventilators and perhaps the ribs toning down, which just seems that bit more work to me.

 

Overall the two stand side by side very well, they don't run well together mind you! Even on DCC....I know I said I was going to hold off with the DCC, but I caved to curiosity and tried MUing a 122 with the 117. Speed matching them is a royal pain, and you can absolutely forget it on DC.

[Class 158 productions]

My 117 has just arrived, I’m extremely happy with it, it looks great and runs extremely smooth, but it should. Anything less than almost perfect would be disappointing at this price point 

[The Stationmaster]

I must admit is is quite a few years since I climbed into a Pressed Steel SPC via the Guards door but I was doing it five days for a fair part of a year back in the late 1960s, and then occasionally in the mid 1970s prior to the closure of the Brdport branch and my memory seems to accord with photos from those times - the handrails were continuous.

 

Judging by the photos the Bachmann model does seem to represent the roof panel joints but far more subtly than we often  (usually?) get in 4mm scale.  I'll know more when my green 3 car set arrives - hopefully later this week.  The Bachmann underframe is much better than the Dapol version and they have even got all the colours correct including the rocker covers on the engines which for some inexplicable reason were green on (some?) Dapol models and, of course, the Bachmann buffer heads are the correct shape for the as delivered Pressed Steel cars. 

[Class 158 productions]

Bachmann seem to be sceptical about roof ribs, after the mk1 situation, they probably just want to use the most inoffensive solution. 

[08221]

Would someone with the blue and grey liveried 117 please kindly post a few detail photos - really can't make my mind up whether to get a blue/grey one or wait until the overall blue version makes an appearance!

 

Thanks, take care, stay safe and happy

[tetsudofan]

Received my Kernow chocolate and cream version at lunchtime today:

 

 

Running-in on analogue at the moment prior to being dcc-fitted.

 

Keith

 

[Oliver Rails]

 

Its finally arrived!

[Ian Hargrave]

When you receive your model spend a minute or two checking the wheel sets.My 121 started its career disappointingly. It is a pig to rail because of its design but in any case mine firstly resisted it....being light doesn’t help here. Given power eventually,it was hesitant and noisy,being prone to stop-start behaviour. Eventually as everyskoolboyno,it dawned on me .Picking up model,examined trailing wheel sets....both of which needed to be clipped  into place to ensure proper contact. It now does what it should. Derails had in fact checked it before sending.I do understand how it was missed.

 

Anyway,it is a lovely model.

Edited June 24, 2020 by Ian Hargrave
spelling

[dj_crisp]

15 hours ago, StuTheUseless said:

I say, here's fun, some side-by-side pictures of the Dapol 121 and the Bachmann 121. OK, they're not at the same angle, the lighting's rubbish, they're dusty, etc. etc. I've brightened the side-on one so you can see the underframe.

 

The guard's door handrails are different on each model, they're two separate rails on the Dapol model. The handrails on the cab are very different, much more prominent on the Bachmann. The Bachmann also has that excellent speedo cable. The Dapol cab has a slightly more angular look which I think might capture the appearance a tiny bit better.

 

 

Thanks for the comparison

 

I like both alot.

 

Perfect world for me... Bachmann chassis & Dapol body modified to reduce the size of the roof welds. 

 

We're spoilt tbh and it's a pity they both did the same model.

[Class 158 productions]

Some of my wheel sets weren’t in, however this was also the case on my 158. Odd thing to happen, is the packaging too tight or just simply a manufacturer error?

[Widnes Model Centre]

5 hours ago, Oliver Rails said:

 

Hi,

 

Our stock is arriving today. After contacting Bachmann to see why ours seem to be arriving after others, they informed us that social distancing is causing a few delays in the warehouse. Furthermore it seems our new arrivals order has been picked with a large restock order which has meant it took slighter longer to pick and pack!

 

Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

 

Regards
Oliver @RailsOfSheffield

 

@RailsOfSheffield, l know what you mean, ours have been despatched today. We also had to query where ours where. Received  the same reply from Bachmann.   Looks as though they may have been picked and packed in Alphabetical order?

[StuTheUseless]

1 hour ago, 08221 said:

Would someone with the blue and grey liveried 117 please kindly post a few detail photos - really can't make my mind up whether to get a blue/grey one or wait until the overall blue version makes an appearance!

 

Thanks, take care, stay safe and happy

Here's some. This photography thing's harder than it looks. You can't get anything in focus. Note also the tantalising glimpse of my bedroom, something normally only seen by myself and supermodels.

 

 

Edited June 24, 2020 by StuTheUseless

[griffgriff]

Depth of field is you’re friend.... it’s the shortcoming of modern camera / camera phones.... but that aside it looks cracking

 

Griff

[3rd Rail Exile]

34 minutes ago, StuTheUseless said:

 Note also the tantalising glimpse of my bedroom, something normally only seen by myself and supermodels.

 

 

That's super models such as the Bachmann Class 117, I presume 

[Roy Langridge]

The comparison of the two 121s is very interesting, they both seem to have got the same things wrong in different directions. Roof rib not noticeable on the Bachmann offering, too pronounced on the Dapol, the dome above the headcode box looks too rounded on the Dapol, slightly to flat on the Bachmann etc.

 

One thing I do notice - yes the Bachmann has a deeper interior, but those seats come further up the windows than they do on the prototype.

 

All on all, I won't be getting rid of my Dapol 121s, but i will probably add a Bachmann offering, or two.

 

Roy

[Market65]

Well, I’ve been to York, and Monk Bar Models, and bought both the class 117, and the 121, all in green. They both run superbly. They are incredibly quiet - you can only hear the wheels on the rails. They are so controllable, on DC, and the detail is astonishing. The best ever first generation diesel multiple unit models ever! I’ll take a couple of photo’s later on, but those inter car couplings are not too noticeable at all once the 117 is on the track and running on the layout. I do intend to keep them coupled up as much as possible to offset any coupling issues as mentioned by other members.

 

Best regards,

 

 Rob.

[Philou]

Can any kind soul who knows his/her stuff about 117s, tell me if any of these units worked out of Cardiff? It seems that I may need a 116, though the source I read was not specific where the 117s worked within the Western Region.

 

They do look rather nice!

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[lyneux]

2 hours ago, dj_crisp said:

Thanks for the comparison

 

I like both alot.

 

Perfect world for me... Bachmann chassis & Dapol body modified to reduce the size of the roof welds. 

 

We're spoilt tbh and it's a pity they both did the same model.

 

You're right WIll. The roof welds are really prominent. Compare the below photo from Hondawanderer with the StuTheUseless's photos above to see the difference.

 

The Bachmann vents look more to scale though than the malnourished Dapol ones...

 

Guy

 

http://www.hondawanderer.com/L400_Moreton-in-Marsh_1986_3.htm

 

 

Edited June 24, 2020 by lyneux

[Danemouth]

10 minutes ago, Philou said:

Can any kind soul who knows his/her stuff about 117s, tell me if any of these units worked out of Cardiff? It seems that I may need a 116, though the source I read was not specific where the 117s worked within the Western Region.

 

They do look rather nice!

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

Philip,

 

Apply Rule One,

 

The backstory can be that Cardiff were lent one when they had multiple failures of whatever, This is always happening in Danemouth :-)

 

Dave

[Markwj]

3 hours ago, Oliver Rails said:

 

Its finally arrived!

Mine is the first one you come too!

[StuTheUseless]

I've just noticed the TC underframe has two toilet outlet pipes. This could be an exciting first for DMU modelling.

[wombatofludham]

17 minutes ago, StuTheUseless said:

I've just noticed the TC underframe has two toilet outlet pipes. This could be an exciting first for DMU modelling.

I wonder if Tipp-Ex would simulate ***twrap  that has got stuck on the pipe?

Asking for a friend...